1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an automatic accompaniment apparatus which generates bass and chord tones along with rhythm performance and more particularly to an accompaniment apparatus suitably incorporated with an electronic musical instrument such as an electronic piano.
2. Description of the prior art
In the past, as an automatic accompaniment apparatus for an electronic musical instrument, there is known the apparatus in which a chord root note and a chord type such as major, minor and so on are designated on an accompaniment keyboard arranged on the left side area of a manual keyboard unit (e.g. see U.S. Pat. No. 4,184,401). In this prior art accompaniment apparatus, bass and chord patterns are programmed for two or more bars in an accompaniment pattern memory along with rhythm patterns on the basis of C-major chord consisting of C-, E- and G-notes. The bass and chord patterns are repeatedly read out at a given tempo speed. The performer performs melodies on the upper keyboard with his or her right hand and performs accompaniment on the lower keyboard with left hand for designation of chord type and root note. Pitches of the programmed chord notes are shifted from the C-major chord in accordance with designated chord type and root note so that accompaniment tones are generated.
Accordingly, in the prior art automatic accompaniment apparatus for an electric musical instrument, the performer operates keys with right hand for melody performance and concurrently with left hand for chord designation for accompaniment performance. It is difficult especially for a beginner to operate keyboard skillfully for his satisfactory performance as he must pay his attention to one of melody and accompaniment performances with another almost neglecting.